The Texas Racing Commission approved a request on Wednesday to move Sam Houston Race Park’s Thoroughbred dates to Retama Park as a result of damage that the Houston track suffered last month from Hurricane Ike.
Forty-three live dates that were previously scheduled to be run at Sam Houston will now be run at Retama in Selma, Texas. The remaining 12 dates scheduled for Sam Houston were canceled and will not be rescheduled.
“We are extremely disappointed that we had to cancel the Thoroughbred meet [at Sam Houston] this winter,” said Andrea Young, the track's chief operating officer. “However, we are proud of efforts made by the Texas Racing Commission, the horsemen, and our counterparts at Retama to preserve wintertime racing in Texas. We plan to support Retama in any way possible.”
The additional live dates will extend Retama’s current Thoroughbred meet through February 28, which will create 78 days of live racing at the track. The meet began on August 29.
Sam Houston’s meet was scheduled to be held over 65 days. Hurricane Ike’s strong winds and rainfall caused significant damage to the track’s grandstand, stables areas, and infield tote board.
Hurricane Ike slammed into the Texas coast on September 12 and forced Sam Houston to conclude the American Quarter Horse meet one week early and to suspend simulcasting operations for more than one week. Sam Houston will reopen for live racing on May 1, when the 16th American Quarter Horse meet begins.
“We look forward to returning to live racing in the spring,” Young said. “We will return even bigger and better.”
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